Kendall sent me this question:
I think most of us feel the pressure to “pull out all the stops” for Easter, whether that means a drama, special choir number, special communion service, hired orchestra, etc. What are some ways you have sought to make the celebration of the Resurrection special at Covenant Life? Does your congregation and/or pastoral team do anything different to make that Sunday a more focused evangelistic outreach?
Many non-Christians are more likely to attend a Sunday meeting on “special” days like Christmas and Easter. Reasons vary. It may be persistent family members or neighbors. It might be the big production the church is advertising. I’d think for many it helps alleviate the guilt they experience for not going all the other Sundays in the year. On …
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Churches throughout the world will celebrate Easter next month, following a church calendar that Christians have used for centuries. Many may also do something unique for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and/or Good Friday. It should go without saying that Jesus’ substitutionary death for our sins and his victorious triumph over the grave should be our focus not only every Easter, but every week and every day. This is the Gospel of Christ, who is our life - the Gospel that we must continue in and never shift from, the Gospel in which we stand, the Gospel that strengthens us, the Gospel that has been entrusted to us, the Gospel for which we are called to suffer, the Gospel that is of first importance ( Col. 1:23Colossians 1:23
[23]if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and
steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that
you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under
heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (ESV)
; 1 Cor. 15:11 Corinthians 15:1
[15:1]Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I
preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
(ESV)
; Rom. 16:25Romans 16:25
[25]Now to him who is able to strengthen you according
to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according
to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for
long ages (ESV)
; …
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JP wrote in to ask, “I enjoyed your blog on ‘What Christmas Songs Do You Use?’ With April fast approaching, could you please post a similar list for Easter?”
I polled some of the other guys who serve in some of the Sovereign Grace churches, and this is a tentative list. I’ve left off some of the more obvious ones like “Christ the Lord is Ris’n Today.” I’ve included songs that focus exclusively on the resurrection, as well as those that reference it at some point.
Crown Him with Many Crowns
Including the verse:
Crown Him the Lord of life who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save
His glories now we sing who died and rose on high
Who died eternal live to bring and lives that …
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